Prelude - Journey to Hardenvale

I stepped onto the train and turned, walking down the pathway seated with dozens of weary travellers. There was a half-orc seated alongside a human male, a conspicuous man with his head lowered and several other folk dotted about.
 
I came up to a seat across from her, the Tiefling who saved my ass and sat across from her. Immidietly lighting a cigarette taking a few quick drags and settling down. Staring at my reflection in the window as it stares back. All I could do was feel at the rag covering my slashed eye. It was only an hour ago I was sitting with Sawyer and Frankie both their laughing faces it hurts to well up. The sting in my right eye, a painful reminder.
 
The silence broke as she asked about the pain, the wound.
Hurt like hell what do you expect, those bastards will get double the pain.
 
"Not so much now."
It was frustrating to speak, usually I can read people but not her. Doesn't matter that she's a Tiefling or maybe it is because of that. I can't make heads or tails of anything right now...
 
Back to the window, a safe respite where my mind is me and myself. Breathing slowly and taking a smoke from the cigarette I notice her staring at me and then the table in the reflection.
A complaint about the cigarette ash dirtying the table.
After the day I had that was the least of my concerns, but it seems a priority for her. She doesn't know the whole story.
A quick flick and smoke, exhaling slowly as I swipe away the ash from the table, leaving a dark mark against the surface and coating the side of my palm needlessly.
 
A loud thud, a sound rupturing my hearing as I grew accostomed to the small talk and light chatter from the background. Her frustrated expression is all I am met with.
A familiar retreat back to the window as I am once against met with my reflection, slightly easier on the eye too.
She must be one of those types, she may not like the way I do things as I often had an earful from Roni about the same issues. Not that she was any better.
 
"I didn't think you were the type."
Either she didn't understand what I meant by that or she did and didn't appreciate the label but she is most definately the type who cannot abide mess.
It seems she must get a lot of flak about her race, pops did say they weren't very well liked so he must have been right.
She started bickering about small things and the noise was becoming ever more white, I had to break it somehow.
The way she cut down those enforcers, wasn't she.. smiling?
So i'll ask.
 
"The way you cut down those Enforcers back in Lao, you looked as if you enjoyed it."
The journey might be long, as much as I'd love to sit in silence. I can't let those thoughts consume me just yet. I'll try to dig around her, see what to make of her.
I put out my cigarette in anticipation.
 
She appeared caught off-guard, avoiding eye contact, I may have been right.
Nothing continued from it, she carried on with her talk of hygeine and how she smells. Which she wasn't wrong about. But I can't imagine I was any better.
Laughter erupted from a nearby seat as the half-orc bellowed while the human guy made gestures.
Sakiran crinkled her expression after commenting on smell.
 
'I suppose the Gratus will have decended upon that town by now.'
Words piercing my emotion, I bare with it for a moment grinding my teeth with anger before settling down, she was right and I knew it from the start they would have called regional administration to mobilise reinforcements, probably going to cleanse a couple of districts and some opposing parties while they are at it, "Silence any non-loyalists".
 
A silent thud, a GA-250?
She placed it in front of me, getting a better look at it it has a knife covered with tape and cheap plastic on the underbarrel rail.
What sick person would do this?
She looked at me expectingly, almost ashamed.
Before bursting she said it needed to be fixed.
 
I do feel obligated to help, I carry a few things for on-site repairs. Maybe I'll strike up more questions,
Turns out she paid for that 'enhancement', dearly by the sounds of it. She was more than furious learning of the person's deception against her. She might not be used to a con, they are often learnt harshly by experience.
 
Attaching reinforced alloys to the frame will do the trick, screw in to secure the pieces together and it may just survive more than one strike. Although I haven't heard of anyone using a pistol to get in close to melee. That's what a small-fire arm is for aside from concealment?
 
I ended up thinking of him for a moment, getting lost working on the gun and with her commenting on the work it was easy to slip up.
I glance at her, it's hard right now to find the right words for a lot of things, I haven't felt this way in a long time.
I make small talk, changing subjects. Seems the gun might be more for show since anyone who says they can shoot well enough isn't a very good shot. Far be it from me to judge.
She complimented my shooting from earlier, especially due to my recently acquired handicap. Another thing I wasn't expecting considering her prior tenditure attitude. It was hard to accept, but an involuntary smile appeared across my face. It was a nice gesture to have said, I don't want to appear ungrateful.
I cracked small joke while smiling and she reciprocated.
 
I made small talk, in an attempt to find out more about her, I mentioned how I've moved around prior to settling in Lao. She seemed to take interest as she asked where i was before hand.
I didn't go too much in detail but I mentioned how I was part of a small community, moving where was work is available. I spoke about the desert regions and her interest was piqued as her posture raised, she asked East or west in regards to the desert.
 
I'm surprised she didn't ask about the work, but maybe she can relate to the region, I can't think. Was it east or west I'm not so sure. I'll have to give a vague answer.
Her interest faded soon after as I was unable to proceed any further with the answer.
 
She responded Dra Sol, the Wylder capital city. I know it's popular for gatherings and trade and notorious for their state laws but it beats living under Gratus oppression.
However she mentioned her home was in Rathendale, I'm not familiar with the area.
 
She pointed to it on a map parchment.
Does that place have desert terrain? Hard to believe but she also said east or west... maybe my mind is playing tricks on me.
She figits with her horns, tail swishes slowly about. Pretty good indicators of a bad liar. She saved my ass, I can't go butting in too much.
 
She moved in search of work, mentioning a hunt and having taken a month long vacation after two years of training.
 
I finished up with the gun, using an abrasive to polish around the metals to tidy it up for her.
That Gratus woman at the bar, she mentioned long training and a hiatus afterward.
I feel it, anger rising at the thought of that woman, a secret agent. I wonder just how many Gratus has dotted about the world. She ruined everything. But it's my own fault.
 
Two years for what, your story don't add up and you're lying!
A thought spoken out loud, some people stopped and glanced in our direction. Did I really just say that?
She wasn't amused.
I put the gun down and light up a smoke to take the edge off.
My hands are shaking with raw emotion and I'm having trouble keeping it in check.
She takes the gun away, her expression sour. I've gone and fucked up.
 
I didn't apoligise, I kept it up. Every inch of me taking it out on her. I acted childishly.
I made a fool of myself.
She said that I shouldn't look a gift beast in the mouth. I've heard of that saying before, a clansmen who bought a drink for a friend while they declined. He spoke that same sentence. I believe the tribes adapted it well from our sayings..
I settled back into my seat, why would she say that and not our way?
The Gratus woman returning to my mind, liar.. demon..
Her tail slapping against the fabric of the seat, the sounds raising in volume with each swing.
Liar, she's just like her isn't she.
I accused her, exhaling in relief as I can't stop thinking of everything that has happened.
 
She attempts to hold her emotion, carrying her tail in her grip however it does little in the way of revealing how agitated she was as it continues to twitch in her hand.
I keep pressing, I have to know.
Everything feels as if it's on fire, noises getting louder and louder as I barely even make out what I hear and what I want to hear.
I keep revealing little things about me, things which can be pieced together just like she did.
It didn't work, my whole offense shattered as I sit back and take one last smoke before exstinguishing it in the bowl and staring into the window, seeing my reflection and watching her expression as she collects herself.
 
I spilled a lot details out about the score, understandably she thought I was afraid of her turning out to be Gratus. I've been at a loss for words as I can barely form any structure.
Maybe in the end.. that's what I want. Someone to judge me for my sins, tell me what I did wrong and determine my sentence.
That woman already did, but I escaped with her help. Sakiran gave me one ticket to ask anything.
 
A thousand questions running through my mind but one spoke louder than any other. Why.. why the hell did you save me from my judgement.
"Why did you save me?"
She offered a wicked smile, her eyes latching on as she eventually said she was seeking trouble.
That was it, my only question gone just like that. With a subpar answer that only creates more questions.
Nothing further, it was fruitless.
She stands and turns to me.
'Don't let your guard down around me.'
And leaves.
 
I'm left alone with my thoughts again, a torment pushed further by her secrets. Nothing can be done for now. Back to the window, my reflection staring back as the only solace I can find.
I drift off.